God istiler forward inre- Sondayin Lent. Ser.225. Bening our neceffities. Fountaines, other Fleures, other Groues,andthat God doth fuftaine and mailì- raine them all,Blllitre vnderhisproteThon. Since then that all things hue fo fecure wider hisdiuineprouidence, Why fhouldniandiftruft, efpecially feeingthat hè bathan eye anda care to his wants and neceflïties ; Whoú like vino the Lordour God, who dwelleth in thehighefl clouds, andyet dothbeholdfrom above, whatfoeuer úin heauenor in earth l The fight is not qualified by feting great things, but by per- ceiuing the leaft atomes ormotes that are in the Sunne. Inan Epiftle which the glorious ApoftleSaint PaulwrotetotheRomans, hecalleth God , theGod of Hope ; for he looking downe vponvsdoth inrich vs with fuch allured hopes, that we mayhold themmore firme and fure vnto vs,thanany prefcnt poffelfìon of thofe lands or goods which weenioy. The fecond reafon is, That if any thing cangrieue Gods heart, it isour mife- rie andneceflitie and therefore he makes fuch haft to helpevs, as ifit were his owne cafe ; Myffler, my Spoufe,thou haft woundedmy heart with one ofthyrseeyes,and withone haire of thy necke. The haires are the fymbole of thoughts and cares, for as the head is full of haire, fo is it full of care. The eye of the Huntfivan doth more harme than the Arrow which hee (hoots ; for he that doth not throughly eye his game, feldome kills : and therefore the Spoufes Beloued fayes vnto her, Euerie one of daycares, efpecially when I fee thee looke vpon me,are fomany darts flicking inmy heart. Abbot Guarivas dif- courfing of the Prodigall, faith,That whenhis father fawhim fo ill accoutred, compaffion didmoreftronglypoffeffe him,than thepaffionofforrow for hisfins did his fonne. WhenAbraham wasfwallowed vp asit were with forrow,as hee vnllieathed his fword to facrifice his fon ifaac; Dominus videbit (faith the Text) IdeJl,prouidebit ; whichwas the good oldmans anfwer,whenhis fonne askt him, Phi eft vitlima,pater mi l Myfather,where is the Lambeforthe burnt offering ?The Septuagintread vipparebit ; theTigurine, ridebitar. For God feeingvs fuffer for his take, is of it felfe aprefent helpe inour timeofneed. Manyofthe Saints do ponder the griefewhich God did difcouer for that dearth whichIfniel indu- red,and the care that he tooke inallaying the fharpeneflèand tartneffeofEliashis auflereand fowre difpofition, whowhenhe hadcaufed thewindows ofheauen tobePhut vp forthree yeares, yet heappointedhim aRauen to bee his Steward, tobring him in prouifion, that heemight notfuffer in that common calamities yet giuinghim this checkeby the way, It is not fitthat thou alone fhouldeft eat, and all the reft of my people flame; but line I haue pail myword, this Rauen fhal take care ofthee. Saint Chryfoffomefaith,That this wasafeuerereprehenfion of the Prophet Elias. ThataBirdthat hath nopittieofher ownebrood,fhould take pittieof thee; thata bird that by nature is cruel], andhues vpon rapinesand fpoyle ofothers, fhould be aMinifterofinercievnto thee : and thou that fhoul- deft hauebeenamediatorbetwixt God and his people,fhouldft bea prouoker of him to vengeance ; he cries out againfthim, Abfurdum eß, ôElias, Thouhaft com- mittedagreatabfurditie,ôElias. Saint vtuguffine further addeth,That the.Raiien which heretofore (hewedhimfelfeviithankeful l,innot returningagain to'Noabs A rke, isnow fo farrealtred from that he was, that he brings thee breadand flefh, affoording thee thydayly food ; it hadnot been much for thee tohaue expeEted analterationlikewife in theChildrenofIfraell. Procopius tells vs, That theRa- uen is anvncleane creature by the Law ; and beeing that I,whowas theLaw -gi- uer, diddifpenfe that thou fhouldeft takethy food fromhim, Whymightft not thou as well haue asked adifpenfationofme,for this fo longan interdiction. Andhe entertainedthemkindly . The griefewhich our Sauiour had concei- 0o a ued _ 435 Canr.gq. Genaa. 3 aeg.17. Godscare to work hischil- dren tomercy .
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